Pretoria hits 33°C this weekend: your heat and fire danger forecast
Ryanj93 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Most of South Africa is in for a hot, mostly dry weekend, with Pretoria forecast to reach 33°C on Sunday and extremely high fire danger flagged in parts of the North West (TimesLIVE, citing SAWS; EWN, citing AccuWeather).
The South African Weather Service (SAWS) expects Gauteng, the North West and the Free State to be fine and warm to hot on Saturday, 24 October, and Sunday, 25 October (TimesLIVE).
How hot will it get in Pretoria, Johannesburg and Cape Town?
AccuWeather forecasts quoted by EWN put the weekend highs at (EWN):
- Pretoria: 32°C on Saturday, 33°C on Sunday and Monday
- Johannesburg: 30°C on Saturday, 31°C on Sunday and Monday
- Cape Town: 22°C on Saturday and Sunday, 23°C on Monday
The UV index in Pretoria and Johannesburg is expected to sit at 12, which is extreme, on all three days. Cape Town will be cooler but windy on Sunday, with south-south-easterly winds of about 26km/h (EWN).
Is the Limpopo heatwave over?
The SAWS heatwave advisory for the Western Bushveld was set to run until 23:59 on Friday, 23 October. It covers areas including Lephalale, Thabazimbi, Bela-Bela, Mokopane, Mookgopong and Vaalwater (The South African). Lephalale was forecast to reach 38°C on Friday (News24).
The heat may not ease much. SAWS said the heat in the Western Bushveld is expected to remain a concern this weekend (TimesLIVE). In Polokwane, forecasts point to about 26°C on Saturday and about 30°C on Sunday (The South African). Check SAWS for whether the advisory is extended.
What about the rest of the country?
Here is the SAWS weekend picture by province (TimesLIVE):
- Mpumalanga: partly cloudy in the east, with isolated light showers possible along the escarpment
- Northern Cape: mostly fine and warm to hot, cooler in the extreme south
- KwaZulu-Natal: cloudy and warm, with isolated showers
- Eastern Cape: partly cloudy to cloudy and cool
Where is the fire danger highest?
SAWS has forecast extremely high fire danger in Mahikeng and Ratlou in the North West and asked people there to avoid anything that could start a veld fire (TimesLIVE).
Will it rain soon?
Probably not much in the north and east. SAWS's outlook for 21 October to 3 November expects below-normal rain over much of KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng, the eastern Free State, Mpumalanga, Limpopo and the North West. The highest temperatures are expected in Limpopo, the Mpumalanga Lowveld, northern Gauteng and parts of the North West and Northern Cape (TimesLIVE).
The western and southern parts of the North West and Free State could turn wetter and cooler later in that period. SAWS warned that the long hot, dry spell could put more pressure on dams and water supply, and on farmers' crops and livestock (TimesLIVE).
How do you stay safe in the heat?
SAWS forecaster Lehlohonolo Thobela advised people to (TimesLIVE):
- drink enough water
- stay out of direct sun during the hottest part of the day
- wear light clothing and take regular breaks if you work outdoors
- check on young children, older people and anyone with a health condition
Last updated: 23 October 2026, 14:45 SAST.
FAQ
How hot will Pretoria be this weekend?
About 32°C on Saturday, 24 October, and 33°C on Sunday and Monday, according to AccuWeather forecasts reported by EWN.
Is the Limpopo heatwave advisory still in place?
The SAWS advisory for the Western Bushveld was due to end at 23:59 on Friday, 23 October, but SAWS said the heat there remains a concern this weekend. Check SAWS for any extension.
Where is fire danger extremely high this weekend?
SAWS forecast extremely high fire danger in Mahikeng and Ratlou in the North West and asked people to avoid anything that could start a veld fire.
Will it rain in Gauteng soon?
SAWS expects below-normal rain over much of Gauteng and the north and east of the country until about 3 November.